U.S. patent number 4,773,709 [Application Number 07/093,181] was granted by the patent office on 1988-09-27 for swivel seat and insulated cooler combination.
Invention is credited to Ronald L. Slinkard.
United States Patent |
4,773,709 |
Slinkard |
September 27, 1988 |
Swivel seat and insulated cooler combination
Abstract
A boat seat which also functions as an insulated container and a
framework for mounting same in a boat are the subject of the
present invention. The boat seat/insulated container combination
comprises a generally cylindrical insulated sidewall with a top on
which a person will be seated and a bottom which fits into a
mounting receptacle. A portion of the sidewall is extended above
the top to form a back for the seat and contains an opening near
its top edge to provide a handle for carrying the seat. The
mounting arrangement comprises a central set of parallel tubular
members onto which is pivotally mounted a base plate and receptacle
for receiving the seat. Telescopically attached to each end of the
central mounting unit is a set of L-shaped parallel tubular
members, the two sets being adjustable with each other to fit the
width of the bottom of the boat. Telescopically attached to each
L-shaped member is a set of U-shaped parallel tubular members, the
fitting of which is adjustable to fit the height of the sidewall of
the boat. An alternative embodiment provides a mounting arrangement
adapted to fit a box type boat seat. The alternative mounting
comprises a central set of parallel tubular members similar to
those of the preferred embodiment. Telescopically attached to each
end of the central members is a set of L-shaped parallel tubular
members. The horizontal legs of the L-shaped members are adjusted
with the central members to fit the width of the box type boat
seat. The vertical legs of the L-shaped members extend downwardly
and fit tightly against the sides of the boat seat by means of bolt
and pressure plate assemblies. Thus, a pivotal boat seat/insulated
container is provided which can be adapted to fit varying sizes and
styles of boats, either without seats or with box type seats.
Inventors: |
Slinkard; Ronald L. (Pratt,
KS) |
Family
ID: |
22237602 |
Appl.
No.: |
07/093,181 |
Filed: |
September 4, 1987 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
297/188.09;
114/363; 297/183.7; 297/252 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B63B
29/04 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
A47C
9/00 (20060101); A47C 9/10 (20060101); A47C
13/00 (20060101); A47C 3/00 (20060101); A47C
3/18 (20060101); B63B 29/04 (20060101); B63B
29/00 (20060101); A47C 007/62 () |
Field of
Search: |
;297/193,192,188,217,349,252,457 ;62/371 ;114/363,194 |
References Cited
[Referenced By]
U.S. Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: McCall; James T.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Kokjer, Kircher, Bradley, Wharton,
Bowman & Johnson
Claims
I claim:
1. A pivotal seat comprising:
a container having an insulating shell, a flat bottom surface, a
sidewall, a top surface and a back support projecting upwardly from
said sidewall and above said top surface;
a generally horizontal pivotally mounted base plate;
a receptacle coupled with said base plate and including a bottom
and a perimeter wall rising from said bottom for receiving said
container and holding same against lateral movement; and adapted to
receive said container;
means for supporting said base plate on a boat comprising first,
second, and third telescoping sections and means for holding said
sections in rigid relationship whereby the width and height of said
supporting means is variable, said second and third sections being
adapted to be supported by the sides of said boat, and means for
engaging said boat sides to preclude lateral movement of said
supporting means.
2. A pivotal seat comprising:
a container having an insulated shell, a flat bottom surface, a
sidewall, a top surface and a back support projecting upwardly from
said sidewall and above said top surface;
a generally horizontal pivotally mounted plate;
a receptacle coupled with said base plate and including a bottom
and a perimeter wall rising from said bottom for receiving said
container and holding same against lateral movement; and
means for supporting said base plate on a boat comprising first,
second and third telescoping sections and means for holding said
sections in rigid relationship whereby the width of said supporting
means is variable, said second and third sections including means
for gripping the sides of a box type boat seat.
Description
This invention relates generally to seats and, more particularly,
to a boat seat which also functions as an insulated container as
well as to a framework for mounting a pivotal seat in a boat.
Insulated containers are widely used by sportsmen for keeping food
and drink cold and also for keeping fish and other game from
spoiling. It is also known to employ pivotal seats in boats for the
convenience of fishermen sitting in the boat. The best fishing
boats are those commonly referred to as bassboats or johnboats
which are relatively small in size and highly maneuverable. Because
of the size of most fishing boats, space is at a premium. While
there have been other attempts to make insulated coolers into
seats, these attempts have generally been unsuccessful because of
an absence of a back on the seat and no means for securing the seat
inside of a boat.
It is, therefore, a primary object of the present invention to
provide a combination seat and insulated cooler wherein the cooler
includes an integral sidewall which projects above the top of the
cooler to form a seat back.
As a corollary to the above object, an important aim of the
invention is to provide a combination cooler and seat wherein the
back includes a handle for carrying the cooler.
Another one of the objectives of the invention is to provide a
framework for mounting a seat in a boat which framework includes
telescoping sections for varying the width and height of the
mounting platform and a pivotal platform base for holding the
seat.
As a corollary to the foregoing object, it is an aim of the
invention to provide a framework for mounting a seat in a boat
which includes a pivotal platform means having a receptacle for
receiving an insulated boat seat container.
As another corollary to the object second above, an important aim
of the invention is to provide a framework for mounting a seat in a
boat which in one embodiment is particularly designed for mounting
on top of a box type seat which is integral with the boat and in
another embodiment is designed to be supported from the gunwales of
the boat.
Another one of the objects of this invention is to provide a
pivotal seat in the form of an insulated container which has a
removable top for keeping food or other items in the cooler, an
integral sidewall which projects above the top to form a seat back
and a pivotal base.
Another one of the important objects of the invention is to provide
a pivotal seat and insulated container combination wherein the
pivotal base for supporting the seat includes a receptacle in which
the seat may be placed and firmly held without the need for
auxiliary straps or other types of retaining members.
An important aim of the invention is to provide a pivotal boat seat
and cooler of the type described wherein the mounting framework can
accommodate different width boats and, in the case of the framework
supporting the seat from the gunwales, can also be adjusted to
different vertical heights.
Other objects of the invention will be made clear or become
apparent from the following description and drawings where:
FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the combination boat seat and
insulated container supported in one of two different ways on the
inside of a boat which is represented schematically;
FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the framework for supporting the
pivotal chair and cooler combination from the gunwales of a
boat;
FIG. 3 is a front elevational view of the supporting framework and
combination seat and cooler with portions broken away and shown in
cross section for purposes of illustration;
FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the framework including
the pivotal base and the combination container and seat according
to the present invention;
FIG. 5 is an end elevational view of an alternative embodiment of
the invention particularly adapted for mounting on a box type boat
seat; and
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the alternative mounting framework
shown in FIG. 5.
Referring initially to FIG. 1 of the drawing, a boat is represented
schematically by the numeral 10 and a combination container and
boat seat at the bow of the boat is designated generally by the
numeral 12 while a second seat/container combination toward the
stern of the boat is designated by the numeral 14. Boat 10 has a
bottom 16 and sides 18 which terminate in gunwales 20.
Both of pivotal seats 12 and 14 are identical except for their
supporting frameworks. The framework underneath seat 12 is
designated generally by the numeral 22 while the framework under
the seat 14 is designated generally by the numeral 24.
Referring now to FIGS. 3 and 4, the combination insulated container
and seat 12 comprises an insulated shell 26 formed by generally
cylindrical inner and outer sidewalls 26a and 26b, respectively,
having a layer of foam insulation 28 sandwiched therebetween. A
generally planar bottom is presented by bottom surfaces 30a and 30b
which are integral extensions of sidewalls 26a and 26b,
respectively. Although not shown, it is to be understood that foam
insulation 28 will also extend to the area between bottom surfaces
30a and 30b. As best illustrated in FIG. 4, an integral sidewall
extension 32 projects upwardly from the top of shell 26 to form a
seat back as will be explained more fully hereinafter. An opening
34 in the sidewall extension presents a handle for carrying the
seat.
Shell 26 is also provided with a spigot and valve assembly 36 near
the bottom for draining liquid from the inside of the container.
Top 38 is also of double walled sandwiched foam construction so as
to provide an insulated lid for the container formed by shell 26.
Top 38 is provided with a peripheral edge 38a which overlies the
top edge of the insulated shell 26 so as to assure a tight fit of
the top and preclude lateral movement. Manifestly, the upper flat
surface of top 38 is that on which a person will be seated when
using the seat 12.
Referring to FIGS. 2-4, the supporting framework 22 of pivotal seat
12 includes a first section 40 comprising parallel tubular members
42 presenting flat top surfaces for mounting a support platform
designated generally by the numeral 44. Platform 44 includes
parallel base plates 46, the lower of which is secured to tubular
members 42 and the upper of which is pivotally mounted on the lower
plate through appropriate ball bearings, a bushing or the like.
Rigidly secured to the upper base plate is a container receptacle
designated generally by the numeral 48 and comprising a flat bottom
50 having a perimeter wall 52 extending upwardly therefrom.
Receptacle 48 is sized to snugly receive the bottom of shell 26 and
has a cutaway portion 52a for accommodating spigot assembly 36.
Framework 22 also includes second and third sections 54 which are
identical in construction and hence only one of which will be
described in detail. Telescoping section 54 includes two parallel
L-shaped tubular members 56 which present a portion of section 54
that is telescopically received by tubular members 42. A second
portion of telescoping section 54 comprises first and second
U-shaped tubular members 58 which are joined together at one end by
an elongated linear siderail 60. A plurality of apertures 62 in one
leg of U-shaped member 58 are positioned for alignment with one or
more apertures 64 in one leg of each L-shaped member 56. When
apertures in the respective members 56 and 58 are aligned, nut and
bolt assemblies 66 are placed through the aligned apertures to hold
the members in rigid relationship. Similarly, a plurality of
apertures 68 in each end of each of members 42 are positioned for
alignment with one or more apertures 70 in one leg of each member
56. When apertures 68 and 70 are aligned, nut and bolt assemblies
72 are provided for placement through the aligned openings so as to
hold the members in rigid relationship.
In actual use of the seat 12, top 38 is removed and the container
is partially filled with an iced drink which is dispensed through
spigot assembly 36. The upper portion of the container may be used
to keep food items cold and it is to be understood that, to
accomplish this, it is often the practice to provide for a built in
shelf or basket in the upper portion of the container so as to keep
the food items out of the iced drink. Top 38 is then placed back on
the container in the manner illustrated in FIG. 3 and handle 34 is
grasped to provide a convenient means of carrying the loaded
container to a location such as boat 10. Before the container is
placed on its supporting framework, tubular members 42 are moved
relative to the legs of tubular members 56 so as to adjust the
framework to the width of the particular boat 10. Similarly, the
height of the framework is adjusted by moving tubular members 58
relative to the upper legs of tubular members 56. Nut and bolt
assemblies are placed through aligned apertures in the manner
previously described to hold the various telescoping sections in
rigid relationship. U-shaped members 58 are placed on the gunwales
of boat 10 in the manner illustrated in FIG. 1. The siderails 60
engage the sides of boat 10 to preclude lateral movement of the
framework. Shell 26 is then placed inside of receptacle 48 in the
manner illustrated in FIG. 1. The seat 12 is now ready for use and
a person can occupy the seat in the boat and can readily turn the
seat 360.degree. which is particularly advantageous when fishing
from the boat. Sidewall extension 32 provides a back support which
increases the comfort of the person utilizing the seat. It is to be
understood that the height of sidewall extension 32 may be varied
to accommodate the needs and comfort of different users. The
particular height of sidewall extension 32 shown in the drawings is
intended only to illustrate the principal of an integral chair back
formed by the sidewall extension.
When it is desired to obtain a drink from the container, spigot 36
is activated and a cup or other drinking utensil is placed beneath
the spigot without the need to open top 38 or leave the seat. When
food or other items are to be withdrawn from the inside of the
container, the person utilizing the seat may stand briefly to
remove the top 38 and take the desired food items from inside of
the container after which the top is replaced.
Manifestly, when the seat 12 is to be utilized with different sized
boats, framework 22 can be varied in both height and width by
moving the telescoping sections so as to accommodate the different
size vessel. It is within the scope of the invention to provide a
container 12 which does not employ framework 22 and instead the
shell 26 may be placed on the ground or other supporting surface
for viewing sporting events, for picnicking or other leisure
activities.
Referring now to the alternative embodiment of the invention
represented by seat 14, this seat differs from the seat of the
preferred embodiment above-described only with regard to the
supporting framework 24 which is best illustrated in FIGS. 5 and 6.
Referring to these figures, boat 10 is provided with a integrally
formed box type seat 74 which has sides 74a and a top 74b.
Framework 24 includes a first section 140 of elongated tubular
members 142 which receive the base plates 46 of a support platform
44 in the same manner as described above for the preferred
embodiment. Second and third telescoping frame sections 154 are
identical and hence only one will be described. Each frame section
154 comprises two L-shaped tubular members 156, one leg of which is
generally vertically disposed, the other leg being substantially
horizontally disposed. Bolts 76 which extend through openings in
the vertical leg of L-shaped member 156 are provided with pressure
plates 78 secured to the ends of the bolts. Each horizontal leg of
member 156 is provided with a plurality of apertures 170 which are
positioned for alignment with one or more apertures 168 in tubular
members 142. A plurality of nut and bolt assemblies 172 are adapted
to be placed through aligned openings 168 and 170 to hold elements
142 and 156 in rigid relationship.
The seat 14 is used in the same manner as the seat 12 previously
described except that framework 24 is positioned over box seat 74
and the width thereof adjusted until the legs of sections 154 are
in slightly spaced relationship to the sidewall 74a of the box type
seat. Bolts 76 are then tightened to bring pressure plates 78 into
engagement with the sides 74a. The flat surface of frame section
140 which is opposite the surface that mounts support platform 44
rests on the top 74b of box seat 74 to provide support for shell
26. Shell 26 is placed in receptacle 48 in the same manner as
previously described. By virtue of the telescoping sections of
framework 24, the width of the framework can be readily adjusted so
as to accommodate different size box seats in different types and
styles of boats.
* * * * *